Providence School Board Votes To Fire All Of Its Teachers

The Providence School Board voted last night to fire all of the city's 1,926 public school teachers, the Providence Journal reports. More than 700 outraged teachers packed into the school board meeting to protest the decision.

The vote allows the city to hire back as many teachers as it deems necessary. Proponents argue that the move will help close a $40 million school-budget deficit, giving the board "maximum flexibility" in the budgeting process.

Teachers at the meeting begged the board for layoffs, instead of terminations. Because the teachers were fired, the city does not have to rehire on the basis of seniority. Union leaders called the move was an attack on labor and collective bargaining, calling the terminations a "back-door Wisconsin."